World Photography Organisation
The World Photography Organisation (WPO) is an international organisation which manages various initiatives for amateur and professional photographers. Incorporated as World Photography Awards Limited, the organisation hosts the annual Sony World Photography Awards and the subsequent World Photography Festival, exhibiting the work of winning photographers in each category. Sponsored by Sony, the awards took place in Cannes since 2008 and moved to London in 2011.
Other programmes include; the World Photography Student Focus Competition; Photo Shanghai; the World Photography Festival, the World Photography Collection and the World Photography Focus Programme.
World Photography Awards
The World Photography Awards are organised annually by WPO. They were launched in 2008[1] and are currently sponsored by Sony. The competition has three entry levels; Student, Open and Professional, each with a number of subcategories.
The overall winner of the Professional category is awarded with the Iris d'Or, a cash prize and the title "Sony World Photographer of the Year" at the Awards ceremony which takes place in London. The award ceremony is part of the larger World Photography Festival and features exhibitions, workshops, portfolio review, student programmes and talks from World Photographic Academy members, culminating in the award ceremony.
An exhibition of winners is held at Somerset House in London.[2]
Focus programme
The annual Focus Award, organised by the WPO, is dedicated to using photography in order to raise awareness on a particular global issue. Each year the WPO combines with a different international charity. Previous Focus Award charities have included UNICEF and the Prince's Rainforests Project.
World Photographic Academy
Formed in 2007, the World Photographic Academy members are respected industry leaders from across the world.
Members of the academy endorse the World Photography Organisation, its values and objectives. The first member was photojournalist Tom Stoddart. Membership is by invitation from WPO and/or referral from existing Academy members. Academy members form the judging committees for the World Photography Awards and advise upon the future of the organisation.[3]
Notable members of the World Photographic Academy
Members include some of the world’s leading photographers, gallery owners, picture editors, photographic foundations, agents, managers, publishers and other respected industry members. The members form part of the judging committees each year for the World Photography Awards. Membership is granted by invitation from the organisation and/or by referral from an existing academy member.
- Living members
- Amelia Troubridge (b. 1974), British portrait, commercial and documentary photographer
- Anders Petersen (b. 1944), Swedish documentary photographer
- Anton Corbijn (b. 1955), Dutch photographer
- Boris Mikhailov (b. 1938), Ukrainian (Soviet Union at the time) fine art photographer
- Bruce Davidson (b. 1933), American photographer
- Cristina García Rodero (b. 1949), Spanish photographer
- Cristina Mittermeier (b. 1966), Mexican—American photojournalist
- Daniel Beltrá, Spanish photographer
- Daniel Power, founder of powerHouse Books and powerHouse Arena
- Dr. Deborah Willis (b. 1948), American photographer, artist, curator, historian, author and educator
- Elliott Erwitt (b. 1928), Russian-American advertising and journalistic photographer
- Elliott Landy (b.1942), American photographer
- Esko Männikkö, 2008 recipient of the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
- Gary Shenk, Chief Executive Officer of Corbis
- Gered Mankowitz (b. 1946), British photographer
- Guy Le Querrec (b. 1941), French photographer and member of Magnum Photos cooperative
- Hamish Brown (b. 1934), Sri Lankan-Scottish photographer
- Idris Khan (b. 1978), British artist
- Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (b. 1960s), Dutch fashion and fine art photographers
- Janette Beckman, English documentary photographer
- Jim Fiscus, American advertising and editorial photographer
- John Offenbach, British photographer specialising in advertising
- Jonathan Torgovnik, South African photographer
- Jürgen Schadeberg (b. 1931), South African photographer
- Kevin Cummins (b. 1953), British photographer
- Lynn Goldsmith (b. 1948), American celebrity portrait photographer
- Marc Riboud (b. 1923), French photographer
- Michelle Dunn Marsh, former co—publisher of Aperture Magazine
- Nan Goldin (b. 1953), American photographer
- Neil Leifer (b. 1942), American photographer and filmmaker
- Nigel Parry, British—American celebrity photographer
- Pablo Bartholomew (b. 1955), Indian photographer and educator
- Philippe Garner (b. 1949), French art dealer and a director of Christie's auction house
- Reza (b. 1952), Iranian-French photographer, humanitarian & founder of AÏNA
- Sarah Moon (b. 1941), French photographer
- Stuart Franklin (b. 1956), English photojournalist, former president of Magnum Photos
- Susan Meiselas (b. 1948), American documentary photographer
- Terry O'Neill (b. 1938), English photographer
- Tim Walker (b. 1970), British fashion photographer
- Tom Ang, British photographer and author of digital photography books
- Vanessa Winship (b. 1960), British photographer and Winner of 2008 SWPA L’Iris d’Or[4]
- W. M. Hunt, American photography collector, curator and consultant
- Deceased or former members
- Bob Willoughby (d. 2009), American photojournalist
- Martine Franck (d. 2012), Belgian photographer
- Mary Ellen Mark (d. 2015), American photojournalist and documentarian
- Phil Stern (d. 2014), American war and celebrity photographer
Sources
World Photography Organisation Academy Members
References
- ↑ "About the Awards", World Photography Organisation. Accessed 27 July 2014.
- ↑ Sony World Photography Awards Winners Showcased at Somerset House
- ↑ The World Photographic Academy
- ↑ "Sony World Photography Awards 2012 L’Iris d’Or and Winners Announced". Latest News & Features. World Photography Organisation. April 26, 2012.